Educational reform movements, university teacher education accreditation requirements and federal laws have increased the emphasis on the need for beginning teacher follow-up studies. The information gained from beginning teachers is critical for university teacher preparation programs, state departments of education, and school districts in…

From a sample of over 1,000 advertisements for school superintendent positions, this study compiles a list of qualifications and tasks required of most superintendents and indicates the trends in school board expectations of superintendents. The author first notes the degree of education preferred by school boards in their superintendents and then…

Effective mathematics education for young children (approximately ages 3 to 5) seems to hold great promise for improving later achievement, particularly in low-SES students who are at risk of inferior education from preschool onwards. Yet there is limited understanding of what preschool and kindergarten mathematics education entails and what is…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Two Roads Diverged in a Hearing Room: Congressional Hearing on the Federal Education Budget Previews Two Possible…

Globalization is putting increasing pressure on jobs in the United Kingdom, particularly among less skilled activities. The European response through the Lisbon Strategy has been diffuse, while UK policy appears much more focused, concentrating on the need to raise education and skill levels. The present paper examines the transition towards a…

This paper contends that the state of California is not currently fulfilling its obligation to facilitate the preparation of sufficient numbers of able school administrators. The first section addresses administrator supply and demand. The number of individuals holding administrative services credentials (ASC) far outnumbers available…

Last December, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition--a national organization of more than 600 groups representing knowledge workers, educators, scientists, engineers, and technicians--wrote to President-elect Obama urging him to "not lose sight of the critical role that STEM education plays in…

Teacher shortages are essentially a problem of distribution (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Ingersoll, 2001; National Association of State Boards of Education, 1998; Olson, 2000; Reeves, 2003; Voke, 2002). According to recent studies, hardest to find are teachers who are both qualified and willing to teach in hard-to-staff schools, which included those in…

This is the report of a commission of 20 Illinois citizens charged with identifying the principal problems in the State's elementary and secondary schools and recommending actions for improving the State's educational program. Three principal areas are addressed: (1) instructional standards and pupil performance; (2) personnel (especially teachers…

Outlines the steps boards should follow in doing a search for hiring a new superintendent. (MD)

This report describes specific requirements of Public Law 94-142 concerning the establishment of a Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (CSPD) to ensure that qualified personnel deliver appropriate educational and related services to handicapped children and youth in Delaware. Various components of the CSPD are reviewed, including the…

When it comes to teacher preparation, the support provided to new teachers, and ongoing professional development for working teachers, Grades K-12 and the field of early care and education (ECE) are two very different worlds. While both worlds assume that teachers' classroom skills and behavior can be influenced at multiple points in time (through…

Noncustodial fathers have an essential role to play--both financially and emotionally--in the lives of their children. However, of the 11 million noncustodial fathers in the US, two thirds do not pay any formal child support. Many of these fathers are poor themselves and face multiple barriers, including low education levels, limited work…

Summarizes the academic preparation of secondary school science teachers in Idaho by science subject. Reveals that the extent of some problems appears to be greater than reported in the literature. Reports that only 57% of Idaho science teachers were endorsed to teach the subject they taught. (CW)

The study reviewed certification-endorsement requirements for special education administrators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Results indicated that 38 of the 51 respondents had increased their certification-endorsement requirements since 1975, though a causal relationship could not be established. (Author/CL)